"The Twelve Huntsmen.” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 63-70.
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Tale Summary
Once upon a time there was a prince who was very much in love with his bride. He received news that his father, the king, was dying, and that he requested his presence. He gave his bride a ring as a token and said he would come back for her when he became king. When he visited, his father made him promise to fulfill his wishes and named a certain princess that he was to marry. The prince reluctantly agreed, and when his true bride heard of this she was grieved and began to waste away. Her father told her that he would get her anything she wanted, and she requested eleven girls who looked exactly like her. Once these girls were found, she had twelve hunting costumes made. They all wore them and rode to the kingdom of her former bridegroom, and she asked him if he needed any huntsmen at his service, and he was glad to have them. The king had a lion who was aware that they were all women, and told the king that he should have some peas strewn on the floor of the antechamber. He explained that men would walk on the peas easily, while women would slip on them. There was a servant there who was fond of the huntsmen and so he warned them, and the next day when the peas were on the floor, they all took care to stomp on them. The king was displeased with the lion, who then recommended that he place twelve spinning wheels in the room because women would not be able to resist stopping to admire them. The servant again warned the huntsmen, who ignored the spinning wheels the next day, making the king distrust his lion. Once while he was out with his huntsmen, news arrived that his new bride was on her way, and the true bride was so distraught to hear this that she fainted. The king was worried and went to help, but when he drew off the huntsman’s glove he saw the ring that he had given his first bride and recognized her. He promised that he belonged to her, and sent the other bride back to her kingdom.
Fairy Tale Title
The Twelve Huntsmen
Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)
Brothers Grimm, Lore Segal, and Randall Jarrell
Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)
Maurice Sendak
Common Tale Type
The Forsaken Fiancée
Tale Classification
ATU 884
Page Range of Tale
pp. 63-70
Full Citation of Tale
"The Twelve Huntsmen.” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 63-70.
Original Source of the Tale
The Brothers Grimm
Tale Notes
Tale Audio
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Research and Curation
Kaeli Waggener, 2024
Book Title
The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm
Book Author/Editor(s)
Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal and Randall Jarrell
Illustrator(s)
Maurice Sendak
Publisher
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Date Published
1973
Decade Published
1970-1979
Publisher City
New York
Publisher Country
United States
Language
English
Rights
Copyright not evaluated
Digital Copy
Book Notes
Twenty-seven newly translated fairy tales from Grimm (translated from Kinder- und Hausmärchen) including many old favorites as well as such lesser-known tales as "The Juniper Tree," "Many-Fur," and "Brother Gaily." Illustrated by celebrated children's illustrator Maurice Sendak.